Dance, Dance
by Dani Blues
Summary: Kacey's back and helping the CSI team find out who murdered her best friend. But Kacey's not been acting like herself. Grissom thinks she's been subjected to too many deaths, but whatever it is, it isn't natural. Takes place 3 months after Deadman's Hand.
1. Flashback November 15, 2006

November 15, 2006

Kacey Johnson walked into the Durango high School commons like a woman on a mission. Spotting her target she took off at a run.

"Aieeeeeee!!!!" came her battle cry.

Anaheim Schreiber heard the noise behind her and tried to move but she was too late. She was lying on the cold tile floor face down as her best friend Kacey was helping her up.

As she was getting up Anaheim began to laugh.

"Hi Kacey, nice to see you too. Ah I see you went to the Fall Out Boy concert on Saturday, judging by the smile on your face and the new shirt your wearing."

"Psh , heck yes. I was drooling over Patrick almost the whole time. It was great," came Kacey's reply.

"Really? Did you get to flirt with Pete," Anaheim asked already knowing the answer.

"Of course. I met him and Patrick and got a hug from both. It was probably the most exciting thing I've ever done."

Anaheim laughed and rolled her eyes. Kacey was so predictable and had a slight obsession with Fall Out Boy's lead singer.

"Did they perform my song," Anaheim asked hopefully?

"Dance, Dance? Yup. And of course I dancedanced to it," Kacey said before cringing, "Uh that was so corny. I can't believe I just said that."

"I can," replied Anaheim.

The banter between the two friends continued for several more minutes until Blaine Kincaid, Anaheim's boyfriend, walked over.

"Hey babe, " Blaine said giving Anaheim a kiss on the cheek. "Kace," he said nodding at said girl who wasn't hiding the glare she was giving him.

Shortly after that Blaine walked away and left the friends by themselves again.

"Honestly Kacey, I don't see why you feel like you have to glare and scowl at Blaine everytime he comes near you. What exactly has he ever done to you might I ask?"

"Everything. He's obnoxious, rude, number one jock, he makes me nervous, and he treats you like your one of his trophies. And _I_ don't like it."

Anaheim sighed and shook her head.

"Kacey. People make you nervous if your sitting down and their standing right next to you."

"You darn right they do. Anna, we live in Las Vegas. Do you know how long it would take for someone to pull out weapon and attack while your sitting down?

"And standing up it would take less time?"

" It would give you time to react and it would make me feel better."

Anaheim just looked at Kacey. Sometime her best friend's logic wasn't completely, logical.

"Anyway. Kacey, just because he's obnoxious and rude doesn't mean you have to glare at him. That makes you the rude one. Plus he does not treat me like one of his trophies."

She said with an air of confidence but she her self wasn't so sure.

"Whatever," Kacey replied. "Uh oh."

"What," Anaheim said looking around to see what Kacey was 'uh-ohing' about.

"Margaret Van Halen, 9 o' clock."

"Oh. Well just turn around and don't look at her. I don't want to get into a fight," Anaheim said.

"You do know Margaret still blames you for why she and Blaine broke up right? And that if given the chance she'd beat your brains out, "Kacey said conversationally.

"Shut up. There's the bell," Anaheim replied pulling Kacey with her trying to get out of Margaret's line of vision.


	2. December 7, 2006

"_Dance. This is the way they would love if they knew how misery loved me."_

Nick Stokes prodded the crumpled piece of paper slightly before taking a picture of it from it's position on the floor. Stepping back he looked at the body of the girl handing from the basketball hoop and shook his head. Nick walked over to the rest of the CSI team where Greg was consoling a young teenage girl and signaled David, the coroner, that he was done.

"Shh. It's ok. I know," Greg Sanders said softly trying to calm the girl who was crying on his shoulder.

The girl raised her head and looked up at him and managed a smile. Turning around she acknowledged Nick.

"Hey Nicky," came her voice sounding slightly defeated and hoarse from too much crying.

"Hey Kace," said offering a comforting smile but in his mind he was thinking, '_Poor kid. This is just too much.'__

* * *

Nick's Thoughts_

Not ten minutes after I arrived at HQ this morning Grissom came rushing into the break room where the graveyard shift sat. All I remember him saying was that there was a death that had occurred at Durango High School. The first thing that came to my mind was "Dear God, please let Kacey not be involved." But then that's probably what every one thought. The look on Greg's face would have been funny if the matter hadn't been so serious and close to home. We all know Kacey is like the little sister he never had. Anyway Greg lead us out of HQ. He was the first to arrive at DHS with the rest of us not far behind. Our fear soon subsided when we saw that little 'Clandestine Industries' hoodie clad figure with the brown and acid green hair, sitting on the bench.

* * *

_Greg's Thoughts_

I swear when Grissom came in this morning saying that a death had happened at Kacey's school, my heart must have skipped several beats. I ran out of the break room and down the hall getting stares from everyone as I sped out of HQ and into the parking lot. Behind me I could hear the footsteps of the rest of the shift but I didn't slow down. Not once. Not until I had parked my Denali in the DHS parking lot. I heard Grissom and Nick's SUV's come to a stop shortly after mine. But by that time I was already running towards the school's front entrance. As I came upon the benches I saw, well actually I heard before I saw, and figure on the benches crying. Once I saw the acid green streaks in the hair I let out a breath I apparently had been holding and wasn't aware of.

* * *

"Hello Kacey," Det. Jim Brass said as he walked up to the group.

Kacey in return offered a half-hearted wave. Brass just nodded.

"Ok. Kacey, why don't you go on back to the station with Officer Straton. Ok? Good girl."

Brass waited until Kacey was gone before he spoke to the Grissom's team.

"This is what I got from the principal; The vic's name is Anaheim Evie Schreiber and is apparently an A+ student. She and Kacey have been best friends since Kacey moved here some years ago. Anaheim was on the volleyball team, school newspaper, and drama club."

Nick tilted his head slightly, "Possibly suicide? Bad home life? Unhappy at all?"

Brass shook his head.

"That's what I thought but her sister said that she also got on well with her teachers and most of her peers and had a great home life."

Grissom nodded and looked around.

"Ok then. Greg ask around with some of the teachers. See if they ever witnessed any spats between Anaheim and other students. Catherine and Sara, you two head back to HQ and see if you can talk to Kacey. She might be in shock. If so you know the psychiatrist's number. Warrick, you and Nick scope out the top part of the gym," Grissom said motioning to the walkway above the bleachers. Jim and I'll look around down here on the floor."

"Right."

* * *

Kacey walked around CSI HQ like she was in a stupor. She may have been there physically but definitely not mentally. Officer Straton had escorted her in because she had began to cry just as they passed 'Stratosphere Las Vegas'. He had had to walk behind her with his hands placed on her shoulders to guide her into the reception area where Judy had waved at her but all Kacey could do was look back at her blankly. So now here she was wandering through the halls like she was lost. She could have swore she heard Hodges say something to her but she wouldn't stake her life on it. Finally she stopped outside of Grissom's office and sat in the floor. Drawing her knees up to her chest as best she could she rester her head on her arms and just sat there, not exactly sure what to do.

* * *

At that moment on the other side of the building Catherine Willows and Sara Sidle walked in the front doors.

"Hey Judy," Catherine said, "Has Kacey came in yet?"

"Oh hi Mrs. Willows. Yes she went that way, "Judy offered pointing in the direction of the labs.

"Thanks, Judy. Come on Sara."

After asking several lab technicians including Hodges the two women found the teenage girl lying in a fetal position facing the wall.

"Oh dear," Catherine said looking at Sara who was staring at Kacey while her mouth hung open.

Closing her mouth Sara walked over to the girl, followed by Catherine, and got on her knees.

"Kacey?" She asked softly putting her hand on Kacey's shoulder and rolling her slowly onto her back.

"Hmm," came Kacey's reply whilst staring at the ceiling.

"Hi Kace. It's Sara. Remember? I don't think we sw each other at the high school."

Kacey mumbled something softly.

"What was that honey?" Catherine asked leaning forward slightly.

Kacey mumbled again . This time it was slightly clearer.

"Anaheim."

"Yes, Kacey," Sara said after sharing a glance with the red head woman beside her.

"Dead. Hanging. Gross." Kacey said stuttering slightly.

"Here, wait a minute Kacey. Sara help me taker her into the break room," Catherine said helping the teenager up. Shortly after that, Kacey Johnson was sitting at the round table with a steaming cup of Greg's precious Blue Hawaiian coffee in front of her.

"You sure Greg won't mind Sar?"

"Cath, it's Kacey who's drinking it," came the younger woman's reply.

"True," Catherine said turning back to Kacey.

"Ok Kacey. You were saying something about Anaheim. Were you the first to see her in her uh, current condition?"

Kacey nodded slightly and spoke in a small voice very un-Kacey like.

"It was horrible. My friend Patrick drove me to school and we got there early so I cut through the gym this morning to go the girls locker room because I had left my notebook in there on Friday. And they leave the gym unlocked for some reason. Well the wind was blowing unbelievably hard and it was so cold. It being December and you know how the lows in the early morning are at least in the 30's."

Both women nodded as Kacey took a sip of her coffee. Trying to calm herself she took a deep breath before she continued.

"So I ran up the stone walk up to the door and pushed on it. Honestly I wish I had been listening to my new Fall Out Boy cd and been oblivious to everything around me. But I wasn't and what I saw was..."

"Anaheim Schreiber hanging from the basketball hoop," Sarah finished for the girl.

Kacey nodded as several tears leaked out of her eye. Quickly she wiped them away and looked at the women in front of her. The look on her face pitiful and her voice pained.

"I lost my daddy a year ago, my mom three months ago, and now my best friend," she took a sip of coffee, " Please do your best to find her killer. Please."


End file.
